Bath slipper



May 19, 1936. K. F. WOERLE BATH SLIPPER Filed Aug. '7, 1933 I. I: m a l 1 Zinnentor Kai/karma F Waer/e,

attorney Patented May 19, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

My invention relates to bath slippers and the like, and more particularly to the kind made from a folded blank that may be readily unfolded for convenience in laundering and storing, and quick-- ly folded into a serviceable slipper for sanitary individual use.

Slippers for bath purposes have heretofore been made of paper, intended to be used once and then thrown away, but these have proved uncomfortable to wear and insubstantial and wasteful to use.

Other slippers, intended to be laundered, have required sole inserts which must be removed for washing and reinserted for use, making them troublesome and expensive, and their fixed slipper shape difiicult to insure sanitary cleaning.

My improved slipper contemplates the use of a suitable washable fabric blank of approximately rectangular outline, economically manufactured in quantities, and readily shaped by simple folding and separable fastening operations to form a comfortable, serviceable and sanitary slipper foot-covering, and one that may be easily unfolded for simple laundering with other flat work.

25 My invention and its inherent advantages in simplified and comfortable sanitary slipper construction, and its possibilities of cheap production in pleasing ornamental embodiments, are fully described in the following specification, in 30 connection with the drawing accompanying the same and forming part thereof, and the novel features which I desire to secure by Letters Patent are particularly set out in the appended claims. Fig. 1 indicates an approximately rectangular 35 fabric blank adapted by simple folding and separable fastening operations to form a slipper foot-covering embodying my improvements.

Fig. 2 indicates the first step in folding the blank of Fig. 1 to form my improved slipper. 40 Fig. 3 indicates a further folding and separable fastening operation to form a simple slipper having an open heel end, complete for bath and like purposes.

Fig. 4 indicates additional folding and separable fastening operations to form a heel-engaging end for the slipper sole, making a complete footcovering slipper.

Figs. 5 and 6 are perspective views respectively of the slipper folded according to Fig. 3, and a slipper with the additional heel-end folding according to Fig. 4.

Figs. '7 and 8 indicate respectively a modified blank shape and a slipper made therefrom having a toe-end closed by the selvage edge stitching.

In carrying out my invention any suitable washable material may be used, and I have in mind particularly a pile or crash fabric such as terry cloth or turkish toweling which weaving not only is especially suitable, but may be had in colors and designs to harmonize with wash 5 cloths, bath towels and bath robes that may be furnished with my slippers.

Such pile or crash material is commonly made in long lengths of a given width and may be cut in any known manner to form a blank convenient 10 for my purpose. Fig. 1 indicates such a cut blank 5 of a preferred outline having inclined sides 6 and 1 tapering to the toe-end 8. This toe-end 8 is shown as preferably having a medial convex curve with concave curved extensions on 15 each side uniting them to convex curves extend ing into the side edges, which produces a better toe-end pocket than a straight edge would form.

The opposite heel edge 9 is shown straight, and all four sides preferably have selvage-edge stitching to prevent ravelling and also provide an ornamental border. Center lines a-w and bb on Fig. 1, drawn parallel to the edges 6 and 1 respectively indicate lines for folding in these edges to form the Fig. 2 showing, making a tapering outline, narrower at the rounded toe-edge 8 than at the heel-edge 9, with a portion of one edge 6 overlying a portion of edge 'I, to form a front-foot or toe-end enclosing pocket. These overlying edges 6 and I are preferably separably secured, as by the snap buttons l0 indicated, to hold them united while in use as a slipper. To form an easy access to said pocket, I preferably fold outward the lowerends of the edges 6 and l, as shown in Fig. 3, which not only makes easier the insertion of the foot by providing hand grips, but gives an ornamental finish to the slipper thus formed.

This slipper of Fig. 3 is shown in perspective in Fig. 5, and may be employed successfully without further folding for use in locker rooms of country clubs, treatment rooms, in health bath institutions and the like. The curved edge of the toe-end 8 previously described when folded as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, forms a rounded shape better adapted to fit the foot and of neater appearance than a square toe-end; and this toeend, if desired, may be closed by other snap fasteners II, as indicated, but in either case a used slipper may be readily unsnapped and opened out flat for washing with other flat work at small cost.

Fig. 4 and perspective view Fig. 6 indicates a slipper similar to that of Figs. 3 and 5 formed with a heel-engaging end l2, which may be simply provided by a midway fold in the heel edge 9, secured by a snap fastener l3, so as to stand upright as indicated, the heel edges on either side flowing into the folded side edges as shown.

In a more economical embodiment of my invention, a blank like that shown in Fig. 7 may be used, in which the selvage edge stitching is shown only on the sides 6', I, and the heel end 9, and this blank is indicated as a true rectangle. By folding in the sides .on angular lines as in Fig. 2, a slipper pocket is formed by the sides overlapping as before, and in this case the toe-pocket is shown as closed by selvage-edge stitching [4 applied to and uniting the folded edges of the blank. If desired, the toe-end may be rounded at the time of stitching by the use of an ordinary trimmer sewing machine, and the addition of a heel-engaging end may be added as desired in the manner above set forth.

My improved slipper thus simply formed provides a tapering and rounded toe pocket at the foreward end with a sole extension flanked by outwardly flaring sides facilitating its application to a foot, and a heel-engaging end when desired, all readily folded from the blank of Fig. 1 and retained by the snap fasteners H and I3.

In employing the words snap fasteners, I intend to include any known separable fasteners which embraces button-holes and buttons, lacings, zipper fasteners and the like.

It will be readily understood that my improvements provide for a simple, satisfactory, and readily washable slipper suitable for bath and bed-room purposes, and made from material similar to toweling may be made in combination novelty sets for over-night travelers and transient guest use in many places, with a clean supply for each visit.

I recognize that slippers have heretofore been fabricated from blanks cut to special suitable form, but I know of no slipper having my simple construction held by separable fasteners to provide comfort in wear and ready unfolding for washing.

What I claim is:

1. A slipper foot-covering comprising a fabric blank having oppositely tapering sides inwardly folded on lines parallel to their respective edges to overlap for part of their length to form a footengaging pocket, the portions beyond said overlap being turned outwardly to form a flaring entrance to said pocket, selvage binding stitches uniting the folded edges at the tip end of the toe pocket, and separable fastening means uniting the overlapped portions of the inwardly folded sides.

2. A slipper foot-covering comprising an approximately rectangular fabric blank having selvage binding stitches around its edges and opposed sides inwardly folded and united part way of their length to form a foot-engaging pocket with a rear sole extension, the sides at said rear sole extension being outwardly folded to form a flaring entrance to said pocket, and the selvage edge stitching uniting the folded edge at the front end to close the toe pocket.

3. A bath slipper formed from a rectangular wash cloth, comprising a toe-end portion rearwardly upwardly inclined from the front end to a longitudinal medial point and formed by separably secured overlapping in-folds of forward parts of opposing sides of said cloth, and a rear foot portion rearwardly downwardly inclined from said longitudinal medial point and having KATHERINE F. WOERLE. 

